


Family obligations

by Abraham



Category: Magnum P.I. (TV 2018)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-06-29
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:00:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24823474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Abraham/pseuds/Abraham
Summary: Thomas finds out he may have a sister.
Relationships: Juliet Higgins/Thomas Sullivan Magnum IV
Comments: 16
Kudos: 77





	1. Chapter 1

“Thomas? Are you even listening to me?”

“Huh?” He looked up from the letter he just received.

“I just spent the past five minutes explaining everything I found on our Mr. Matthews and you haven’t heard a word. What is so fascinating about that letter?”

He looked up at her. “I have a sister.”

“What?” Higgins walked over and looked over his shoulder at the letter.

“It’s from an attorney. It says that I have a half-sister in Georgia. My dad …”

He stopped, trying to process everything he had just read. “My dad cheated on my mom?”

He handed the letter to Higgins and she quickly skimmed it. 

“I don’t think you should jump to any conclusions,” she said. “And why is this woman just coming forward now?”

“I don’t know. The letter says her mother just passed away. Maybe she was waiting to find her dad out of respect for her mom.”

“Something seems off.”

“I know, but how many cheating spouse cases have we investigated in the past month alone? I feel like I have to give her the benefit of the doubt. Maybe I need to go to Georgia to meet her. I can’t believe my dad cheated on my mom.”

“You were quite young when your father died. Maybe you weren’t aware of the tension between your parents.”

“Maybe.”

“We’ve pretty much finished up the Matthews case. As I was just telling you. I’ll look into some flights for us to Georgia.”

“Us?”

“Well. You shouldn’t go alone if this is to be a life-altering experience. You can see if T.C. or Rick can go, if you’d prefer.”

“No,” he said quickly. Then he smiled and looked over at Higgins. “I guess I can survive your company for a little while.”

“Don’t be so appreciative. I don’t think I can handle it.”

Later that night, Higgins stopped over to see Magnum.

“Are you busy? I did a little digging on your alleged sister.”

“Thanks. Find out anything good?” Magnum led her into the living room.

“Mary Deering. Married to Gerald Deering. Pretty much born and raised in Georgia. The only time I can figure her mum crossed paths with your father is when he was in the service.”

“That was before my time, but it makes sense.”

“Mary is an administrative assistant at an insurance firm and Gerald works for the county road department. No kids. Mary doesn’t have a record, but Gerald has a few minor run ins with the local law. Seems he likes his beer.”

Magnum rubbed his hand over his face. “I still don’t know what to think. Thank you for looking into this. And for coming with me.”

“No problem. I don’t think you need to have it all figured out before you go to Georgia,” she said. “I’ll let you know if I find out anything else.”

They flew out of Honolulu the following week. With a layover in Los Angeles, they arrived in Atlanta 15 hours later.

“I always forget how large this blasted country is,” Higgins grumbled as they found their luggage and went to pick up the rental car. By the time they arrived at the hotel, they were both exhausted.

“Here you are,” the clerk said, handing Thomas a key.

“There should be two rooms. I booked two rooms.”

Higgins gave him an exasperated look.

“I’m sorry sir. I only have one reservation.”

“Well, can I get a second room?”

“I wish I could accommodate you, but we are in the midst of the Miss Peach Blossom Festival and there is not a room to be found in all of Atlanta. Unless,” and the clerk looked over at Higgins. “Unless, of course, you are one of our Miss Peach Blossom contestants.”

Thomas looked toward Higgins grinning. “What type of room is available for Miss Peach Blossom?”

“I am not now, nor will I ever be, Miss Peach Blossom!”

“Well, then I’m sorry I can’t help you.”

“Come on Higgy. It’s not like we haven’t slept together before.”

The clerk glanced up suddenly interested again.

Thomas grabbed the key and moved toward the elevators.

“I just need a hot shower, some food and my own bed,” Higgins said.

They walked into the room and found one king-sized bed.

“Where’s the other bed?” Thomas said.

“I’m sure you’ll be quite comfortable in that chair,” Higgins said. “I’m going to shower.”

After finishing room service and showering, Thomas stretched out on the bed with his hands behind his head.

“Don’t get too comfortable,” Higgins said, as she propped up pillows against the headboard. She opened her laptop and spent the next hour researching the area.

“It looks like we’re about 50 miles from Richfield. That’s where the Deerings live.”

Thomas didn’t say anything.

“Don’t worry about what ifs,” Higgins said, reading his mind. “Let’s just go meet them and figure this out.”

“I just prefer these kinds of cases when they don’t’ involve me.”

He turned off the light and started to get off the bed.

“You can stay.”

“What?”

“You can sleep here. I don’t mind.”

“OK”

“Just stay on your side!”

He huffed out a laugh and turned on his side toward her.

“I’ll have to you know that I’m a delightful sleeping companion.”

“We’ll see about that.”

They were both silent for a bit.

“Thomas? Are you still awake?

“Yeah.”

“Don’t let any of this cloud your good memories of your dad.”

“I’m trying not to.”

She reached out her hand and rested it on his forearm.

He smiled at her in the dark, grabbed her hand and threaded his fingers through hers.

They both fell fast asleep.


	2. Meeting Mary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnum and Higgins meet Mary. She is definitely not what either of them expected.

Magnum had hardly said a word since he had called his “sister” that morning. They had packed up and were moving to an Airbnb near Richfield, where the Deerings lived. Higgins could feel the tension rolling off him in waves as they drove to a diner in town to meet Mary for the first time.

She touched his shoulder. “Hey. It’s going to be OK.”

He glanced over at her and smiled.

“I’m sorry I’m such bad company. I’ll make it up to you.”

“You are never bad company. And don’t let that go to your head!”

They pulled into the diner parking lot and he just sat there for a minute.

“Well. Here goes nothing,” he said.

Higgins reached over and squeezed his hand.

Mary was nothing like either one of them expected. And she was nothing like Magnum. Where he was friendly, happy and engaging, she was distant, stiff and solemn. 

Lunch was tense at best. Magnum worked hard trying to get to know Mary. He asked about her job, her family and pretty much anything he could think of to draw something out. Higgins filled in the gaps in the conversation whenever Thomas seemed to flounder. Neither Mary or Gerald had expected him to bring a “friend.”

Gerald was slightly more engaging and seemed to love to talk about himself. He kept stealing smarmy looks at Higgins, though, which Thomas definitely did not like.

He moved closer to her and rested his arm behind her on the back of the booth.

“So, do you have any children,” Higgins asked.

“No.”

“Yes.”

Higgins glanced over at Magnum, both of them confused.

“I have a son from an ex,” Mary said.

“Does he live around here?” Thomas asked.

“No.”

Finally, after an hour of awkward conversation, Thomas said, “If you don’t mind me asking, why did you wait until now to reach out?” 

But it was Gerald who answered. “She was real tight with her ma and didn’t want to upset her, but now that she’s gone, Mary wanted to meet you.”

Thomas smiled at Mary, but she turned away quickly.

Higgins’ heart was breaking for him. Thomas was such a sincere man and she definitely didn’t like to see others take advantage of his kind heart.

“When did you find out about Thomas?” Higgins asked.

“A while ago,” Mary said.

Gerald then asked Thomas a number of questions about Hawaii and where they lived. How big the house was and how much staff was on hand.

“Oh it’s beautiful,” Thomas said. “You should come and visit.”

Gerald and Mary exchanged a look.

Higgins had had enough at that point. She tapped Thomas’ foot with hers.

“Well, this has been really nice,” she said, stumbling over the word nice.

Thomas said it was good to meet them and they left the diner promising to get together the next day with Mary’s attorney.

As soon as they pulled out of the parking lot, Higgins went off.

“I’m sorry Thomas. She is awful! She barely asked you about yourself and didn’t ask anything about your father. Her supposed father! Don’t you find that odd?”

“She’s definitely not how I pictured my sister.”

“Alleged sister!”

They drove to the Airbnb trying to figure out what they were missing.

“Gerald is creepy,” Higgins said. “And why did he keep asking you about Robin’s Nest? It’s like he thinks you own it. We need to look into Mary’s ex. And where is her son?”

The Airbnb was charming with two bedrooms this time. Higgins immediately felt a pang of regret that they wouldn’t be together. She put her things in her room and walked into Thomas’. He was already stretched out on his bed. Higgins sat down next to him.

He cracked one eye open and looked at her. “Comfortable?”

“Quite.” She opened her laptop and immediately got to work.

“Mary’s son is Roy Baxter. He’s 22 and was recently paroled after serving time for armed robbery. He sounds like a lovely chap. He lives close by. Maybe we should pay him a visit.”

They decided to swing by Roy’s place before dinner.

If Mary was nothing like they had expected, Roy surprised them even further. They pulled up to a well-kept bungalow and were met at the door by a pretty woman wrangling a little boy.

“Hi,” she said. “Can I help you?”

The little boy picked that moment to tug on her hand repeating ‘mama, mama, mama,” over and over.

“We’re looking for Roy Baxter,” Thomas said, smiling at the little boy who had wrapped his arms around his mom’s legs.

“He’s out back. Follow me. Are you friends of his from work?”

Before Thomas could answer, they were in the backyard and found Roy surrounded by vegetable plants that he was planting in the garden.

“Honey, these folks are here to see you. If you’ll excuse me, I think this guy needs a snack.”

“Hi, I’m Roy,” and he stuck out his hand shaking both Higgins’ and Thomas’ hands.

Thomas explained a little bit about why he and Higgins were in town, leaving out the part about how he really hadn’t enjoyed meeting Roy’s mother.

“Wow. Mom has another brother? I had no idea. I have only ever heard about Uncle Larry.”

“I’m sorry to bother you,” Thomas said. “We’re just trying to figure a few things out. Like why she waited so long to contact me. Not to be rude, but we were thinking that maybe she needed money for something.”

Roy put down his shovel and headed toward the picnic table.

“You’re thinking that maybe she needed help with me,” he said. “On account of my conviction.”

“Perhaps,” Higgins said, glancing over at Thomas.

“It was a stupid mistake that almost cost me everything,” Roy said. “We had just found out that Becky was pregnant and we weren’t married and needed money fast. A couple guys I knew promised me that they had a quick and easy way to make some money.”

“Nothing is ever quick or easy where money is concerned,” Thomas said.

“I know that now. Anyway, it went really wrong. I was driving the get-away car. I was waiting for them to come out, but one of the people in the store tried to run and they shot her.”

Roy explained how he took a plea deal for a reduced prison sentence and since he was only 17 years old at the time, he wasn’t tried as an adult.

“I was able to get my diploma while I served my time. They also had a great trade program and I got a job in a heating and cooling company when I got out. My boss is cool with my record.”

“You were lucky,” Higgins said. “It often doesn’t work out like that.”

Roy nodded. “My only regret is that I wasn’t there for Becky when Caleb was born. I’m going to try to make it up to both of them for the rest of my life.”

“Good for you,” Thomas said. “I’m really sorry to have bothered you. We can let ourselves out. Oh, you mentioned an Uncle Larry? Does he live in the area?”

“Larry’s in prison. He’s been there for close to 40 years now. No chance of parole. I think that’s why my mom was so upset with the path I chose.”

Thomas and Higgins thanked him again for his time and walked toward the front.

“It was nice meeting you,” Roy said. “Maybe you are what my mom needs. She became a totally different person when she married Gerald. She won’t even come to see Caleb. Her only grandchild.”

Higgins followed Thomas back to the car.

“Well. That was dead end,” she said. “I actually like him a lot. He may be the only good part about this if Mary turns out to actually be your sister.”

Thomas drove back the Airbnb and they walked to the downtown area of Richfield which was right along the river. They found a restaurant and chose a table outside. Magnolia trees lined the shore and the fallen petals floated past on the water.

“It is really beautiful here,” Higgins said, watching the sun set over the water. “I definitely wouldn’t mind visiting again.”

Thomas studied her.

“Thanks again for coming with me. I don’t think I could have survived this without you.”

“Any time,” she said smiling over at him.

They avoided any talk of Mary during dinner. They talked about their childhoods and how different they had been. Thomas teased her about riding lessons and etiquette classes. 

“You could probably stand to take a few etiquette classes yourself,” she said.

He realized that he loved to tease her only to see the spark in the eyes and the color rise in her cheeks. She was absolutely gorgeous when she was giving him hell.

He wasn’t sure he was ready to go home. Oh sure, he was definitely ready to be done with this whole Mary situation, but he wasn’t ready to give up this time with Higgins. He felt like their relationship was shifting. He just hoped she felt it too.

He had to jam his hands into his pockets on the walk back to the Airbnb to avoid touching her. It was getting harder and harder to stop himself from grabbing her hand or placing his hand on the small of her back.

Neither one of them seemed ready for the evening to end, so they settled onto the couch to watch the news.

Thomas texted an update to T.C. and Rick.

“Thanks brother,” T.C. responded. 

“How’s all your alone time with Higgins?” Rick asked.

Thomas laughed.

“What’s so funny,” Higgins asked.

“It’s just Rick. He says ‘Hi,’ by the way.”

“Tell the boys ‘Hi’ back.”

The next few days involved more meetings with Mary and Gerald and their attorney, who did not offer any more concrete evidence that Thomas and Mary were actually related. 

Thomas and Higgins also met with the local sheriff who happened to be, by some lucky alignment of the stars, a college classmate of Katsumoto’s. 

Kyle Myers was happy to meet with them.

“How is Gordon? It’s been years since we’ve seen each other.”

“He’s good,” Thomas said, telling Kyle how Katsumoto was now a detective with the robbery/homicide division.”

“He was always super motivated. I wouldn’t have expected anything less.”

“I always thought Gordon went to university in Hawaii,” Higgins said. 

“No. We met at UCLA. Both of us ended up with criminal justice degrees. Gordon doubled majored in forensics and then went on to law school. The funny thing is, I think he started out as a Sculpture major.”

“Really,” Thomas said, looking over at Higgins.

Higgins gave him a look that meant he was absolutely not allowed to tease Katsumoto about any type of art.

“We lost touch over the years. I ended up moving here to be closer to family and I think that’s why Gordon moved back to Oahu.”

Thomas and Higgins filled Kyle in on everything they had been researching. He told them that Gerald was no good and they should definitely be careful.

None of them knew that it may have already been too late for that warning.


	3. The best night and the worst night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnum and Higgins are close to figuring out who Mary really is until disaster strikes.

Magnum and Higgins were invited to dinner at Mary and Gerald’s house.

“You’re just going to have to insist on a blood test,” Higgins was saying from her bedroom before the dinner.

She came out of her room in a sun dress that matched the color of her eyes. She bent down, pulling the strap of her heel up. Thomas couldn’t take his eyes off her.

She was everything he had ever wanted. He was no longer just interested in having her as just a business partner. He wanted more. 

“What?” she asked, glancing up.

“Nothing. You took beautiful.”

She smiled. “Thank you. You don’t look so bad yourself!”

They pulled up the house. The yard looked slightly neglected, but the house was solid with a potted plant on the front stoop.

“Let the games begin,” Higgins said.

Thomas rolled his eyes at her.

Dinner was cordial. Mary, it seemed, had pulled out her best china for the occasion. Gerald pointed out that it was worth a lot, but they got it for a steal at a yard sale.

After they finished the meal, Gerald asked Thomas to come out to see his garage.

“Are you going to be OK?” Thomas asked Higgins, under his breath.

“Sure. Mary and I will just tidy up.”

Higgins grabbed some plates and followed Mary into the kitchen. Mary excused herself for a moment and Higgins took the opportunity to look through the stacks of papers in the adjacent living room.

“This is like looking for a needle in a haystack,” she said to herself. “Oh hello. What’s this?”

She glanced toward the hallway to see if Mary was coming and then pulled a newspaper article out of the stack.

It was a picture of Thomas in front of Robin’s Nest. The local newspaper had done an article featuring the house for the local Home & Garden tour. Higgins had asked Thomas to take the reporter and photographer around because she hadn’t been feeling well that day and Kumu was away visiting family. The article had hit the national news because at the exact moment the tour came around to the beach, a tourist’s parasail had detached from the boat and the man plummeted into the ocean, tangled in the giant sail. Thomas had raced out there and managed to save the very grateful man.

She ran her finger over the picture.

Did this have something to do with Mary and Gerald?

Higgins quickly put the article back and grabbed some more dishes from the table when she heard Mary coming down the hall.

Higgins smiled at the woman and continued to fill the dishwasher. “Thank you so much for dinner. Everything was delicious. Thomas really appreciates the time you’re spending with him.”

Mary stared at Higgins like she had three heads.

“All right then. Perhaps we should see what Thomas and Gerald are up to,” Higgins said, desperate to get out of the house.

They left shortly after that.

“She can’t be your sister Thomas! I mean seriously. She can’t. We have to be missing something.” She told him about the article she had found in the house. “What do you think that means?”

Thomas shook his head. “I honestly don’t know. I talked to Sheriff Myers earlier. He was going to drop off some copies from a file he has on the Deerings. I asked him to include any information he could about Mary’s brother.”

The file was waiting for them when they returned to the Airbnb along with a note from the Sheriff, again warning them to be careful.

They changed and Higgins went into Thomas’ room. He already had the file spread out across the dresser. She sat, once again, on his bed with her laptop. Thomas joined her bringing a stack of information with him.

“Maybe this has to do with Larry the brother,” he said.

They spent the next couple hours throwing theories back and forth.

“It seems like the case against Larry was pretty ironclad,” Higgins said. “There was an eyewitness.”

She leaned back against the pillows and yawned.

“I saw something about his case somewhere here,” Thomas said, sifting through some of the copies.

They both reached for the same copy at the same time.

Thomas looked up, right into Higgins’ eyes as the atmosphere suddenly shifted.

“I’m going to kiss you,” he whispered.

“OK. Why are you telling me?” she whispered back.

“I don’t want you to punch me.”

She answered him by leaning toward him. He kissed her and pulled her against him, brushing the papers off the bed.

Later, she lay against his chest, her arm wrapped around his waist. He kissed the top of her head, playing with the curls that tickled his chin.

“I’ve wanted to do that for a long time,” he said.

“Oh really? What was stopping you?”

“I didn’t want to screw anything up.”

She smiled against his chest. “I wasn’t worried about that.”

“Oh no? You’ve been thinking about this too?”

“I have been,” she said shyly into his chest.

He leaned down and kissed her again, content to just hold her against him.

He looked up suddenly, “Did you hear that?” he asked.

“Hear what?”

“It was probably nothing. I’m just going to check. Don’t move.”

He grabbed his shorts and then leaned down and kissed her again. “To be continued.”

She rolled over onto her back smiling. She couldn’t remember ever being this happy. Thomas was kind and thoughtful and generous, and he wanted her just as much as she wanted him.

She looked toward the door as he came back in. Then he was gathering up her clothes that were scattered across the floor and thrusting them toward her. “Hurry. Get dressed. Gerald and Mary are outside. Gerald, at least, has a gun. I couldn’t tell with Mary. We need to get outside now.”

She was ready in a second. He handed her a gun and she followed him through the dark hall. He had texted Sheriff Myers while she was getting dressed and they made it out the side door, staying close to the shadow of the house.

They had thought Mary and Gerald were headed to the front, but they must have doubled back, because in the next instance, Gerald was yelling for them to stop moving.

Thomas’ first thought was Higgins. The one second he used to glance over at her was enough time for Gerald to swing his gun toward Thomas and shoot.

“Thomas!” Higgins screamed.

The world turned to slow motion as she watched Thomas crumple to the ground.

She aimed at Gerald and shot him, before pivoting and shooting the gun out of Mary’s hand. The Sheriff, just pulling up, ran over and kicked the gun out of Mary’s reach while radioing for an ambulance and backup.

Higgins dropped to her knees in the dust at Thomas’ side. There was blood everywhere already and she pulled off her sweater and pressed it against the wound.

“Higgins.”

“It’s OK sweetheart. You don’t have to say anything. I’m right here. The ambulance will be here any minute.”

She looked desperately over toward the road and the sheriff.

“Higgy. It must be bad if you called me sweetheart.” Thomas reached for her and she grabbed onto his hand. 

“I love you,” he said. “I want you to know that. I love you more than anything in the world.”

Tears were pooling in her eyes and dropping silently onto his shoulder. She stroked her hand across his forehead.

“I know. You don’t have to talk now. You need to tell me that later. And properly. Over dinner. On the beach. And then you can tell me every day until we’re 100,” she said trying to smile at him through her tears.

Thomas grimaced and coughed, sucking in a rattling breath.

She turned toward the sheriff. “Where the hell is the damned ambulance?”

The sheriff knelt near her. He removed the sweater and placed sterile cloths over the wound, but they quickly were soaked in blood.

Thomas’ eyes drifted shut.

“Thomas!” She shook him urgently. “Open those eyes Thomas Magnum. Don’t you dare leave me!”

The medics arrived and had to pull her away. She watched as they took his vitals and loaded him onto the stretcher. She climbed in after him and refused to move so they had no choice, but to take her with them.

He coded twice on the way to the hospital. Higgins was sure her heart stopped too and she prayed harder than she had in a long time. She promised to be a better person, and to be kinder and more helpful and pretty much anything else she could think of that would buy her some good grace in God’s eyes.

It must have worked because, although weak, he had a pulse when they arrived at the hospital. She had a second to kiss his forehead, and whisper that she loved him too, before he was whisked through the ER doors and into surgery.

She stood in the doorway and then slumped back against the wall, covered in Thomas’ blood. She closed her eyes, sucking in a shaky breath. Why hadn’t she told him she loved him when he could hear her? She was startled by a nurse.

“He’s getting the best care,” the nurse said, touching Juliet softly on the shoulder. “He must mean a great deal to you.” She added kindly.

Juliet breathed in deeply and let it out slowly. “He does.”

“Why don’t you change into these and get yourself cleaned up. It will be awhile before we hear anything.

Juliet gratefully took the scrubs and thanked the nurse.

“My name is Annie. You just let me know if you need anything.”

“Thank you Annie.”

Juliet scrubbed her hands raw in the tiny waiting room bathroom. And then, with both hands braced on either side of the sink, she sobbed. 

When she managed to pull herself together, she changed into the scrubs and threw her own clothes in the trash can and went to the waiting room. Sitting in the molded plastic chair, she started and deleted multiple texts to T.C. and Rick before finally giving up and calling them.

“T.C., it’s Higgins.”

“Hey Higgy baby. How’s Georgia treating you?”

“Not so good” got caught in her throat and she sobbed out the part about Thomas being shot and now in surgery.

“We’re on our way,” T.C. said. “Send us the hospital information.”

“Thank you.”

T.C. texted her their flight information and they were somewhere over the Pacific Ocean when Thomas finally came out of surgery.


	4. The Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Higgins thinks she's finally figured out the mystery behind Thomas' sister.

Nurse Annie found Higgins with her arms wrapped around her knees in the waiting room.

“Here. You’re going to need some sustenance,” she said, holding out a cup of soup and a handful of crackers. 

“I’m not hungry,” Higgins said.

“Listen. Your friend just got out of surgery.”

Higgins immediately stood up.

“Is he OK? Can I see him?”

“He came through the surgery just fine. He’s a strong man.”

Higgins released the breath she didn’t realize she was holding as tears flooded her eyes.

“Thank you so much.”

“You are welcome. Now the doctor will be out to talk to you in a little bit. And it will be at least an hour before you can see your friend …”

“Thomas. His name’s Thomas.”

“Before you can see Thomas. Now he’s going to need you to be at the top of your game while he recovers. So why don’t you eat this now while you’re waiting.”

Higgins took the soup. “Thank you again. For everything.”

“Any time,” Annie said.

Two hours later, Higgins was sitting next to the bed in Thomas’ room. He had yet to wake up, but the steady beeping of the monitors reassured her.

“OK Thomas. I need you to open those eyes,” Higgins said, holding his hand. She was absolutely exhausted. Yesterday seemed like weeks ago. She pulled the chair up close to his bed and leaned forward resting her head next to his arm. She planned to close her eyes for just a second.

She was startled awake when Thomas accidently elbowed her forehead.

“Thomas?” She stood up quickly and touched his shoulder. “It’s OK. You’re OK.”

“Higgins?” he croaked.

“Yes,” she said, crying for the hundredth time in the last 24 hours. “I’m right here.” She stroked her hand through his hair. How are you feeling?”

“Like I’ve been shot.”

She laughed. “That’s because you were. Do you remember what happened?”

“Gerald shot me. Are you OK?” He frantically looked over at her.

“I’m fine. I wasn’t hurt,” she said.

“I’m just so tired.”

“The doctor said everything went well. You just need to rest. I’ll be right here when you wake up.”

He reached over for her hand and immediately fell fast asleep.

Higgins took a deep breath and swiped at her tears.

By the time the boys arrived, Thomas had been awake several more times and a doctor had come in to talk to Higgins.

“You were so lucky,” Higgins said. “If that bullet had been one centimeter lower,” she paused. “You might not be here.”

“Well I’m here, so we don’t need to dwell on that.” 

He glanced over at Higgins who was doing doing her best not to look at him.

With T.C. and Rick at the hospital, they decided that Rick would drive Higgins back to the Airbnb to get their things and the rental car. T.C. would stay with Magnum.

As soon as Rick and Higgins left, Thomas turned to T.C.

“I slept with Higgy,” he said.

“What? Dude, that’s huge!”

“I know.”

T.C. raised his eyebrows.

“It was amazing, but now she will barely look at me.”

“Thomas, man, you scared her.”

“I don’t know. Higgins doesn’t get scared. I think she’s mad at me.”

“Hell yeah she’s mad!”

Thomas looked over at his friend. “What? You’re agreeing with me?”

“You scared the hell out of her and she doesn’t like feeling like that. You should have heard her when she called to tell us what happened. I could barely understand her because she was sobbing.”

Thomas took a deep breath. “She’s the one T.C. She’s the one I want to spend the rest of my life with.”

“I know. I can tell by looking at both of you. You’ll convince her. She just needs a little time to process everything.”

\-----

“You doing OK Jules? Rick asked as he drove toward the Airbnb.

“I’m fine,” she said. “I’m better now that Thomas is out of surgery.”

“He is lucky. Are you sure you’re OK? You’ve been quieter than usual.”

“Really, I’m fine Rick.” But she was silent for the rest of the ride.

“Thanks for driving me back. I’m going to gather our things and then check into the hotel you and T.C. are staying in near the hospital. I’ll meet you back at the hospital in a couple hours.”

“Sounds good. Call me if you need anything.”

“I will,” she said, pausing as she got out of the car. “Thank you for being such a good friend.”

Truth be told, she wasn’t fine. She was so confused and scared. She did love Thomas. She wiped at the tears that immediately came to her eyes when she thought of him. He had turned her into a blubbering idiot. Yes. She loved him, but there was no way she could go through what she went through with Richard. And the worst part was that Thomas had been shot because he looked away from Gerald to check on her. She was having the hardest time processing that part.

Higgins avoided even looking at the spot on the ground where Thomas had fallen. She shivered and tried to block the whole memory from her mind. She quickly went into the house and started to gather up all of the papers from the Deering file that Thomas had brushed onto the floor. She stopped staring at the piece of paper that they had both reached for before ... Well, she couldn’t think about that either.

The piece of paper included an article about Larry, Mary’s brother and his trial. Another sheet of paper was stapled to it and as she flipped to the second sheet, she found herself staring at a picture of Thomas. But it wasn’t Thomas. It was his father.

“Oh my God. Thomas’ father was the eyewitness. He’s the reason Larry went to prison for life.”

She quickly grabbed the rest of the papers and all of their things. She called Sheriff Myers on her way back to the hospital.

“Hi. Ms. Higgins. How’s Thomas doing? I heard he came through surgery and is expected to make a full recovery.”

“He’s doing much better. I never thanked you for everything you did the other night.”

“I just wish it hadn’t ended the way it did.”

“Me too.”

Higgins told him about the photo she found. Sheriff Myers said he was headed to the hospital to interview Mary again. He promised to stop in to see Thomas before he left.

Higgins checked into the hotel. She showered and changed and actually felt slightly human as she made her way back over to the hospital. She found Thomas alone in his room when she returned.

“Where are T.C. and Rick?” 

“I sent them back to the hotel to get something to eat. Plus, I wanted to talk to you.”

“Thomas …”

“Higgins, Juliet. Listen. I was serious when I told you I love you.”

She started to protest, but he held up his hand.

“It’s going to be OK. I really want to take this chance on us.”

“But you were shot because of me,” she burst out.

“I was shot because of Gerald.”

“But you looked over to check on me and I can’t,” she stopped. “If you hadn’t made it.”

“But I did make it. You and I both know that we can’t live our best lives while focusing on what ifs. It would be miserable. We have to just take this life we’re given and move forward. And I want to move forward with you.”

He reached out and grabbed her hand. “I really want to move forward with you and I’m pretty sure you want that too. I heard you say that you loved me.”

He was grinning his cocky grin at her.

“You did not hear that. You were unconscious.”

“Haha! Maybe, but you just confirmed it.”

She smiled over at him and sat in the chair by his bed. He was still holding her hand.

“There need to be a few conditions,” she said.

“I love conditions.”

“First, you must never put yourself in danger because of me.”

“I can’t promise that Higgy. You couldn’t promise me that either.”

“Alright fine. You must do your best to never put yourself in danger because of me.”

“OK. Right back atcha.”

“Second, I’m not big on public displays of affection.”

“What? No making out in the booth at La Mariana? OK. What else?”

“That’s it for now. I reserve the right to add more later.”

“You drive a hard bargain Higgins.”

He tugged her hand until she was standing right next to the bed and pulled her down until her lips whispered across his.

Sheriff Myers picked that exact moment to walk into the room.

“Oh. I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

“Not at all Sheriff. I was just about to tell Thomas what I found,” Higgins said. She pulled the article out of her pocket, unfolded it and showed him the picture of his father. “Your father was the eyewitness that put Larry in prison all those years ago.”

“What?” Thomas said, taking the photograph.

Sheriff Myers confirmed it. “I’ve spoken with Mary a few times, and she said that the original plan was to kill your father, but they found out that he was already dead. Then, when they saw that article with you at Robin’s Nest, they figured that killing you would be the perfect revenge. Gerald was fixated on the mansion in Hawaii, though, so they were going to try to force you to sign the deed over to them before killing you. They definitely didn’t plan on Ms. Higgins being involved.”

“So Thomas is definitely not related to Mary,” Higgins said.

“Not one iota,” the Sheriff said.

“Well, that’s one good outcome.”

Two days later, Thomas convinced the doctor that he was well enough to lie in bed at the hotel with Higgins taking care of him.

She smirked at that.

T.C. and Rick were meeting them at the hotel for lunch. Higgins and Thomas had just stepped into the parking lot when Roy appeared.

“Roy. Hi.” Higgins said.

Before she had time to react, Roy had grabbed Higgins around the neck and had a gun pressed to her side.

“Do not make one move or she’s dead,” he said to Thomas.

Thomas put his hands up.

“Roy. You don’t need to do this. You don’t want to mess up your future.”

“I don’t have a future. Do you think I want to work at that lame heating company the rest of my life? I spent my whole life hearing about how Thomas Magnum ruined everything. I am ready for Thomas Magnum to be gone from my life forever. Then when we found out you were rich, I figured we could spend the rest of our lives living in the paradise. Gerald was an idiot. I’m the one who convinced my mom that she should pretend to be your sister and make you sign over all of your money.”

“Except none of it is his,” Higgins said.

“Shut up!” He jammed the gun into her side and she winced, causing Thomas to take a step forward.

“Stay right there!”

“OK man. Calm down. The only problem is that Higgins and I just had a major conversation the other day. She laid out all these rules for our relationship. No leaving the toilet seat up, put my dirty dishes in the dishwasher and I am, under no circumstances, allowed to put myself in danger to save her. I’ll just see you around.” And Thomas turned like he was going to walk away.

“What?”

And just as Roy said ‘what,’ Higgins elbowed him in the groin and twisted his arm behind his back. Roy shoved her aside with his other arm and she fell. Thomas reached out, struggling to get the gun. He had just managed to wrestle it away when T.C. and Rick sprinted across the parking lot and tackled Roy.

The security guard from the hospital ran out and handcuffed Roy. “The authorities are on their way,” she said.

Thomas rested his hands on his knees as Higgins got to her feet.

“Are you guys OK?” Rick asked.

“Fine.”

“Good,” Thomas said. “My girl here is going to drive me to the hotel and then get me some food.”

Higgins would have bristled at his proprietary comments, but refrained from saying anything when she saw the tension and pain etched around his eyes. He offered her a quick smile, that may have actually been a grimace.

“Come here,” she said. “Put your arm around my shoulder.”

She gently lifted up his shirt, checking to make sure his bandage was still in place. "You may have pulled out some of your stitches."

“I’m fine. I just need to lie down, preferably with you.”

“Come on then. Let’s get you settled”

They slowly made their way to the car. “So much for Roy. I really liked him.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Perhaps there is one more chapter in this story.


	5. Heading Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnum tells Higgins exactly how he's feeling.

Thomas had indeed pulled a few stitches out and Higgins insisted he return to the hospital for a quick check. His doctor was not happy and threatened to admit him again if he did not go straight to bed.

Higgins tucked him in and curled up against his good side, her fingers laced through his. He kissed her lightly. “You heard the doctor. No taking advantage of me in my weakened state.”

She laughed out loud.

Thomas’ expression turned serious as he looked at her. “Thanks for taking care of me.”

“You’re welcome. Now go to sleep. I’ll be right here when you wake up.”

After two days in the hotel, Thomas was going crazy. Higgins compromised with a drive to the shore after dinner.

Just being out in the sun improved his mood immensely. They found a beach and took a walk with the water lapping at their ankles.

“This makes me miss home,” Higgins said.

Thomas found a big rock along the shore and sat down with Higgins next to him. He looked out over the water.

“What’s wrong? You’re so quiet,” she said. “You’re making me nervous.”

“I’m fine,” he said smiling over at her. “I was just thinking.”

“Don’t hurt yourself. Your doctor will not be thrilled to see you again so soon.”

He huffed out a laugh.

“When I was in Afghanistan, after I found out about Hannah, I lost it for a bit.”

“Completely understandable.”

“I just wanted everything to be over, but it was T.C. and Rick and Nuzo who pulled me through. I knew I couldn’t let them down again. God knows I already hurt them enough.”

“That was NOT on you.”

“Do you know what I was thinking about when Gerald shot me?”

“What?”

“I was thinking, seriously? This was the best night of my life. It cannot end this way. I want more than just a couple hours with Juliet Higgins.”

She smiled at him, leaning into him as he put his arm around her.

“Even if Hannah hadn’t betrayed me, I don’t think it would have lasted. We wanted different things. I was ready to come home. I’m not sure she even knew where home was anymore.”

Higgins studied the water, listening.

“With you, it’s different. You are my home. Wherever you are, I want to be there. Whether that’s Hawaii or England or Georgia.”

The sun had started to set over the water and Thomas stood up, pulling her to her feet.

“I’m not telling you this to scare you. I guess I’m just trying to say that you make me a better person and I like who I am when I’m with you.”

She was stunned into silence.

“I love you Juliet Higgins. I want to spend the rest of my life with you and if I had a ring I would give it to you right now.”

He pulled her into his arms and she leaned carefully against him, sure she had never been this happy.

“And don’t worry, you don’t have to tell me that you love me all the time. I can tell you do,” he said, leaning back and using his thumbs to wipe at the tears that were already falling.”

She smiled up at him through her tears. “Let’s go home Thomas.”


End file.
